Ficlets: from the 100 prompts (082)
082- If
Shaka stood by the shop’s entrance, watching people hurry in and out. He inhaled deeply and finally walked in, heading directly to the counter. He wasn’t here to buy anything after all. She was where he had first seen her so many years ago, giving change and conversation to the clients in her father’s shop. His master’s words came back to him, deafening the sounds around.
Men like us don’t love, you’ll understand one day.
She extended her hand to caress a child’s hair and the ring on her finger caught the light. It was true, then. She had waited long, but she was going to get married after all. And not to him.
He had wanted to say something, congratulations probably, he couldn’t really remember any more, it all seemed rather pointless. He spent the way back to Sanctuary wondering what would have happened if he hadn’t listened to his master then. By the time he made it to the familiarity of his temple, he was again the calm and quasi-divine Virgo Saint, but he knew the what ifs would be back to haunt him again.
Shaka stood by the shop’s entrance, watching people hurry in and out. He inhaled deeply and finally walked in, heading directly to the counter. He wasn’t here to buy anything after all. She was where he had first seen her so many years ago, giving change and conversation to the clients in her father’s shop. His master’s words came back to him, deafening the sounds around.
Men like us don’t love, you’ll understand one day.
She extended her hand to caress a child’s hair and the ring on her finger caught the light. It was true, then. She had waited long, but she was going to get married after all. And not to him.
He had wanted to say something, congratulations probably, he couldn’t really remember any more, it all seemed rather pointless. He spent the way back to Sanctuary wondering what would have happened if he hadn’t listened to his master then. By the time he made it to the familiarity of his temple, he was again the calm and quasi-divine Virgo Saint, but he knew the what ifs would be back to haunt him again.